Rotary brush



Sept. 15,'*1'953 1 J. ROUSSEAU ROTARY BRUSH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 25, 1950 Buventor leo QZOMSSSQ@ Cttorneg5 Sept. 15, 1953 L. J. ROUSSEAU ROTARY BRUSH 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Sept. 23, 1950 l nnenfor feo cfassew /Qe (lttornegs Patented Sept. 15, Y1.9553

ROTARY BRUSH Leo J. Rousseau, Grosse Pointe Park, Mich., as-

sig'nor to Minit-Man, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application September 23, 1950, Serial No. 186,445

2 Claims. l

This invention relates to brushes and, in par ticular, to rotary brushes such as are used, for example, in washing vehicles.

@ne object of this invention is to provide a ro'- tary brush construction in which the brush bars containing the brush bristles are held rmly in position in their rotatable supports without the necessity of using retaining hoops or rings in order to prevent radial displacement of the brush bars.

Another object is to provide a rotary brush con,- struction wherein the brush units, when Worn, and replaced, are more quickly and easily removed than has hitherto been possible.

Another object is to provide a rotary brush construction in which the brush units include bristles inserted in elongated channel-shaped brush bars which are in turn inserted endwise through cir cumferential undercut `slots in spaced rotary discs mounted on a rotary shaft in such a manner that the overhanging portions of the periph-v eries of the discs hold the brush bars immovably against radial displacement.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a central vertical section through a rotary brush according to one form. oi? the inven-E tion, taken along the line I-l in Figure 2;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the rotary brush shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of one of the brush unit supporting discsused: in the rotary brush of Figures 1 and 2;

Figures is. a cross-section taken along the line lf-fi in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssection through thebottom. of the brush units ad-y jacent one of the supporting discs, showing the overhanging constructionv for holding the brush units in place;

Figure 6 isa central vertical section through a modied rotary brush, according to anotherfform ofl the invention, taken along the line 65S inA Figuref'l;

Figure 'l is a top plan view of the rotary brush shownrin FigureV 6; Y

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of'- a brushbar spacing member used in thel rotarybrush of Fig urel; andl Figure 9 is a vertical section taken along the line -Q in Figure'S.

Hitherto, in conventional types of rotary brushes, it has been found diiiicult to retain the bristles orbrush units rmlyY in position against accidental dislocation and at the same timeto facilitate repair or'replacement ofA the bristles as4 they become worn or broken. Certain prior brushes have used retaining rings or hoops which are intended to hold the bristles in position, but these hoops are subjected to a considerable strain during use by reason of the pressure exerted upon them, and the breakage of such a hoop releases the bristles or brush units so that the machine must immediately be shut down for repairs, or it causes damage to the machine or article which it is washing andv results in a hazard tothe safety of the operator. In other prior brushes, the brushV units have been bolted in position, but this arrangement has likewise proved unsatisfactory because of' the large number of bolts which must be removed order to replace the brushV units or bristles.

rThe present invention solves these problems by providing a rotary brush having a hub structure consisting of axially spaced circumferentially notched discs mounted on a rotatable shaft, the notches in the circumference of each disc having overhanging opposite edges which prevent removal of the brush units in a radial direction and hold them eiiectively in place. The brush units have channel-shaped brush bars or backs in which the loop-shaped or U-shaped bristles are held by means of a retaining rod in each brush bar or-back, the latter being inserted endwise and held in position against endwise motion by'one or two retaining rings. These retaining rings, however, are substantially free from strain sinceithey are not required to hold the brush units in asseinbly, this being done by the overhanging edgesV of the-circumferential notches, which are und-.en cut for this purpose. The multiple bolts of prior brushes have been eliminated, and to replace a brush or an entire set of brushes, it is merely necessary to remove the two retaining rings or hoops and slide the brush units axially out of the undercut peripheral grooves and to insert a newof illustration, secured to the shaft l at spaced locations along it. The discs i5 have central holes It (Figure 3) for receiving the shaft i3 and are secured thereto as at l'l by welding or otherappropriate means of attachment. Each disc I5 is provided with a multiplicity of circumferentially-spaced undercut notches or slots I8 having approximately U-shaped inner portions I9 and overhanging opposite edges 2l) formed as a result of the undercut construction. The overhanging opposite edges provide retaining shoulders 2| which hold the brush units I2 in position in the manner explained below. A collar 22 (Figure l) is welded or otherwise secured to the shaft I3 near the end opposite to the end having the slot I4.

Each brush unit I2 (Figures 1 and 5) consists of an elongated channel-shaped brush back or brush bar 25 having an external cross-section substantially the size of the inner portion I9 of the notch or slot I8, with a suitable clearance sufficient to permit the brush bars 25 to be slid into and out of the notches or slots I8. The free edges 26 of the brush bars or backs 25 are so located that they engage the abutment shoulders 2I formed by the overhanging edges 20 of the notches or slots I8 to retain the brush bars or backs 25 rmly in position (Figure 5). The side portions 21 of the brush bars or backs 25 are substantially parallel and are interconnected by the bottom portion 2B.

The bristle assembly 30 of each brush unit I2 is made up of U-shaped or loop-shaped bristles 3| having their side portions 32 interconnected by the portions 33, the latter being held in the backs 25 by retaining rods 34 (Figure 5). The rods 34 are secured at their opposite ends to the opposite ends of the backs or channel bars 25, las by securing them to a transversely bent portion of the channel bar 25 (not shown). Each bristle assembly 30 is cut away as at 35 (Figure 1) to form a slot through which split rings or hoops 36 may be passed. The rings 36 have eyes 31 at their opposite ends and clamping bolts 38 are passed through these eyes (Figure 2) in order to clamp the rings 36 tightly to the hub structure II. Only two rings 36 are necessary and these merely prevent endwise motion of the brush units I2.

In the operation of the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, let it be assumed that the rotary brush I0 has been assembled in the form shown therein and that the brushes have become so Worn as to require replacement. To replace the brushes, the operator merely removes the two clamping bolts 38 from the eyes 31 at the ends of the rings 36, and then withdraws the rings 36 from the gaps or cutaway portions of the bristle assemblies 30. He then removes each brush unit I2 from the hub structure II by sliding it endwise out of its respective notches I8 in the peripheries of the discs I 5. New brush units l2 are inserted by reversing the above procedure, after which the rings 36 are reinserted and clamped by means of the clamping bolts 38. As previously stated, the brush backs 25 are held in position by the abutments or shoulders 2I formed by the overhanging edges 20 of the notches I8, so that the rings 36 are not called upon to hold the brush units I2 in place, other than to prevent endwise motion thereof. The rotary brush I 0 can then be replaced in the machine and reconnected to the power source by which it is rotated. To replace the bristles 3| in each brush unit I2 (Figure 5). it is only necessary to remove the retaining rods 34, after which the bristles 3| can be pulled out or will readily fall out. New bristles can then be inserted in place of the worn bristles and the 4 retaining rod 34 replaced in the channel bar or back 25.

The modified rotary brush 39 shown in Figures 6 to 9 inclusive is similar in principle to the rotary brush I0 of Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, except that it has a rounded end. Similar parts are therefore designated with similar reference numerals in order to avoid needless repetition of description. The brush units 4U have brush backs or bars 25 provided with arcuately bent end portions 4I, the ends 42 of which enter openings or notches 43 in the edge flange 44 of a crown disc 45 forming a holding member. The crown disc 45 is provided with a central hole 46 by which it is mounted upon the threaded reduced diameter end portion 41 of the shaft I3. A cup-shaped member 48 with an edge flange 49 is provided with a central hole 50 by which it is inserted upon the reduced diameter threaded portion 41 and held in place by nuts 5I. The flange 49 thus holds the ends 42 of the bars 25 in the notches 43 of the crown disc 45, The bristles 3| forming the bristle assemblies 30 of the modied rotary brush 39 are mounted in the brush bars or channel backs 25 in the same manner as in the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, except that the retaining rods 34 have arcuate portions at one end of each rod corresponding to the arcuate portions 4I of the brush backs 25.

The operation of the modified rotary brush 39 is similar to that of the rotary brush I0, with the exception of the fact that the brush units 4U can be withdrawn from only one end of the brush, due to the curvature of the brush units 49. To remove the brush units 40, therefore, the operator takes off the clamping ring 36, as before, removes the nuts 5I and the cup-shaped member 48 from the end of the shaft I3 (Figure 6), after which he grasps the ends 42 of the bars 25 and draws the brush units 40 out of the notches I8 in the disc I5 in the manner previously described. He then replaces the worn brush units 40 by new brush units by reversing the foregoing procedure, reapplies the cupshaped member 48, and the clamping ring 36, as described above.

What I claim is:

1. A rotary brush comprising a hub structure having a shaft and a plurality of spaced brush mounting `discs thereon, each brush mounting disc being of substantially circular outline with circumferentially-spaced undercut openings of approximately rectangular outline therein, brush units mounted in said openings, each brush unit having `an elongated brush back of approximately channel cross-section with substantially parallel side Walls inserted in its respective openings and a bristle assembly mounted in the channel of said back, said discs adjacent the mouth of each opening having shoulders overhanging and abuttingly engaging said brush back, each brush back being substantially straight throughout the major portion of its length and having an arcuately bent portion at one end thereof directed toward the axis of said hub structure, and a holding member secured to said hub structure and having end receiving portions adapted to receive the bent ends of said brush backs.

2.. A rotary brush comprising a hub structure havlng a shaft and a plurality of spaced brush mounting discs thereon, each brush mounting disc being of substantially circular outline with with circumferentially-spaced undercut openings of approximately rectangular outline thereif; in, brush units mounted in said openings, each brush unit having an elongated brush back of approximately channel cross-section with sub st-antially parallel side Walls inserted inits respective openings and a bristle assembly mounted in the channel of said back, said discs adjacent the mouth of each opening having shoulders overhanging and abuttingly engaging said brush back, each brush back being substantially straight throughout the major portion of its length and having an arcuately bent portion at one end thereof directed toward the axis of said hub structure, a holding member secured to said hub structure and having end receiving portions adapted to receive the bent ends of said brush backs, and a locking member secured to said hub structure externally of said brush back ends and securing said brush back ends in said end-receiving portions.

LEO J. ROUSSEAU.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

